at the united nations general assembly meeting in new york. they say they will make a bid for u.n. membership this week as planned. u.s. president barack obama is trying to convince them to put their request on hold. obama delivered a speech wednesday at the general assembly. he said there is no shortcut to resolving decades-long conflict in the middle east and argued the palestinians should first return to peace talks before applying for u.n. membership. obama then met separately with palestinian president mahmoud abbas and israeli prime minister benjamin nettia hue. before that meeting an adviser to the palestinian president said abbas won't back down. >> he has to give it a serious try. if we fail, we have to keep knocking at the door of that organization. >> abbas is expected to file membership request on friday. leaders of south american nainrastesre voicing their support. the issue has sparked vigorous debate at the u.n. and around the world. >>> obama also talked about the so-called arab spring in his speech for the u.n. general assembly. he hailed a pro-democracy movement in middle ea

their fractured territory called a country. now their leader is going to make a request for the united nations to grant palestine statehood. president mahmoud abbas is expected to submit a formal application for u.n. membership on friday to secretary-general ban ki-moon. he's then scheduled to make a speech before the general assembly to call for international support. israel expressed criticism of the move saying it could destroy past agreements made in middle east peace talks. u.s. president barack obama expressed opposition when he met with president abbas on wednesday in new york. he said the framework of mideast peace talks could collapse. u.s. secretary of state hillary clinton is focusing on the future. >> regardless of what happens tomorrow in the united nations, we remain focused on the day after. we will leave, know, no effort or stone unturned in our commitment to the achieving that. >> the u.s. is continuing its efforts to dissuade the palestinians from applying for u.n. membership. >>> people around the world are keeping their eyes on the sky in the coming hours. pieces of a u.s.

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